It started with a sore throat. It was on fire. So sore that I called in sick two days in a row. Then came the fever, and a lightheaded, slightly out of body feeling, and then along came the headache. Which turned into a pounding migraine after I failed to drink coffee for a couple of days in a row. And finally, several days into the worst viral experience of my life, the mucous attacked. I couldn’t breathe through my nose, but at least my throat wasn’t on fire anymore, now that it was coated with a thick layer of crap. When I can’t breathe, I can’t sleep. And by the time a week had passed, I couldn’t stop crying from the sleep deprivation.
This sickness? I am so done with it.
I’ve finally kicked the fever. I’m no longer lightheaded. I can breathe, and the crying has stopped because I’m finally sleeping. Ten hours a night if I get the chance. But I’m still not over this nastiness. It’s just lingering on and on.
I know I’m not alone. There’s a not-so-secret fraternal order of those who find themselves virally infected at the same time. We’ve all got the same snotty symptoms, we all lament how long the sore throat is lasting, and we all have an old wives remedy or two to share. I’ve certainly gotten an earful of advice this week from everyone who’s also currently sick, just gotten over being sick, or is feeling like something’s coming on. And just so you know, I actually used them all (in addition to copious amounts of Tylenol, Ibuprofen, cough drops and throat sprays:
- Water with 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and honey (from my friend Delynda)
- A spoonful of rooster sauce (my husband swears by this one)
- Alka Seltzer Cold Plus (my personal favorite)
- Grated ginger in hot tea (both my sister-in-law and my gynecologist suggested this one)
- Gatorade (my boss, who told me I absolutely couldn’t, in no way, be sick for more than 2 days)
- Chicken Noodle Soup (I heard about this from everyone on earth).
So….since I know I’m not the only one suffering from this godawful illness, I thought maybe my kindred brethren would appreciate a playlist of music dedicated to the yuckiness of being sick. Fevers, Chills, Coughs and everything else that goes along with it…. it’s all here.
You enjoy it. Me? I’m going back to bed.Stream the playlist by clicking on the play arrow below or find the playlist at Grooveshark.
- Flu Season – Kid Koala
- Fever – Peggy Lee
- 99.9 F – Suzanne Vega
- Cough Syrup – Young The Giant
- I Don’t Need No Doctor – John Mayer
- Rockin’ Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu – Johnny Rivers
- Reggae Fever – Steel Pulse
- Sick (of you) – CAKE
- Night Fever – Bee Gees
- Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne
- Fever – Lady Gaga
- Call The Doctor – J.J. Cale
- Hot Blooded (Foreigner)
- Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor) – Robert Palmer
- Sick & Tired – Maroon 5
- Fever Dream – Iron & Wine
- Sore Throat – Harvey Mandel
- Nyquil – Ground Up
- Dear Doctor – Rolling Stones
- Fever – Family Force 5
- Low Down Shakin’ Chills – The Hellacopters
- The Fever – The Von Bondies
- Doctor Doctor – UFO
- Sore Throat – Color It Red
- Sick Again – Led Zeppelin
- Sick As A Dog – Aerosmith
- Down With The Sickness – Disturbed
Valerie Ing-Miller has been the Northern California Program Coordinator for Jefferson Public Radio in Redding for nine years and can often be found serving as Mistress of Ceremonies at the Cascade Theatre. For her, ultimate satisfaction comes from a perfect segue. She’s the mother of a teenage daughter and a 7-year-old West Highland Terrier, and can’t imagine life without them or music. Valerie wakes up with a song in her head, she sings in the shower and at the top of her lungs in the car.
